2 U.S. Code § 31b–1 - Former Speakers of House of Representatives; retention of office, furniture, etc., in Congressional district following expiration of term as Representative; exceptions

(a)Each former Speaker of the House of Representatives (hereafter referred to in sections
31b–1 to
31b–7 of this title as the “Speaker”) is entitled to retain, for as long as he determines there is need therefor, commencing at the expiration of his term of office as a Representative in Congress the complete and exclusive use of one office selected by him in order to facilitate the administration, settlement, and conclusion of matters pertaining to or arising out of his incumbency in office as a Representative in Congress and as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Such office shall be located in the United States and shall be furnished and maintained by the Government in a condition appropriate for his use.

(b)Sections
31b–1 to
31b–7 of this title shall not apply with respect to any former Speaker of the House of Representatives for any period during which such former Speaker holds an appointive or elective office or position in or under the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia to which is attached a rate of pay other than a nominal rate or to any former Speaker separated from the service by reason of expulsion from the House.

Subsection (a) of this section is based on section 1 of House Resolution No. 1238, Ninety-first Congress, Dec. 23, 1970, which was enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 91–665.

Subsection (b) of this section is based on section 1(b) ofPub. L. 93–532.

As originally enacted into permanent law, section applied to Speaker of House of Representatives in 91st Congress and has been extended to apply to each former Speaker of House of Representatives. See section 1(a) ofPub. L. 93–532, set out as a note under this section.

Amendments

1985—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–225substituted “one office selected by him in order to facilitate the administration, settlement, and conclusion of matters pertaining to or arising out of his incumbency in office as a Representative in Congress and as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Such office shall be located in the United States and shall be furnished and maintained by the Government in a condition appropriate for his use” for “the Federal office space which is currently made available for his use in the congressional district represented by him and which shall be maintained by the Government in a condition appropriate for his use as he may request, together with all furniture, equipment, and furnishings currently made available by the Government for his use in connection with such office space, including any necessary replacements of such office furniture, equipment, and furnishings, in order to facilitate the administration, settlement, and conclusion of matters pertaining to or arising out of his incumbency in office as a Representative in Congress and as Speaker of the House of Representatives”.

Effective Date

Section 7 of House Resolution No. 1238, Ninety-first Congress, Dec. 23, 1970, as enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 91–665, provided that: “The foregoing provisions of this resolution [enacting sections
31b–1 to
31b–6 of this title] shall become effective on the date of the enactment of this resolution as permanent law [Jan. 8, 1971].”

Extension of House Resolution No. 1238, 91st Congress, to Former Speakers of House of Representatives

Pub. L. 93–532, § 1(a),Dec. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 1723, provided that: “The provisions of H. Res. 1238, Ninety-first Congress, as enacted into permanent law by the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1971 (84 Stat. 1989) [enacting sections
31b–1 to
31b–6 of this title and provision set out as a note under this section], are hereby extended to, and made applicable with respect to, each former Speaker of the House of Representatives, as long as he determines there is need therefor, commencing at the expiration of his term of office as Representative in Congress.”

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